John J. Varljen
John J. Varljen, 86, of Butler passed away Friday in the comfort of his home.
Born May 6, 1933, in Winfield, Pa., he was a son of the late Louis and Mary Varljen.
He graduated from Slippery Rock University with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. He attended the University of Pittsburgh and IUP for his master’s degree.
He taught science and mathematics at Penn Township High School and Knoch High School for 37 years, retiring in 1992.
While attending college, he had worked at the Butler County Mushroom Farm and the Penn Dixie Cement Plant. He also worked several summers in plant security at Pullman Standard and was a part-time agent for Century 21 sales.
He was a member of St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Butler, was a life member and past president of the Butler County Amateur Radio Association Inc. and ARRL, his call letters were K3HJH. He was a life member of the SRU Alumni Association, life member of PASR, the NRA and the SNPJ Lodge.
John played baseball for local teams as well as in college, enjoyed photography, hunting and fishing and his camp in Elk County.
He married Shirley M. Beggs in 1955, and had celebrated 63 years of marriage this past year. His pride and joy was his family, and he and his wife had five wonderful children.
Surviving are his wife, Shirley M. Varljen; his children, Karen (Daniel) Lewis of Butler; Robert (Min) Varljen of California, Daniel Varljen of East Butler and Charles (Darlene) Varljen of North Carolina; three grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; two brothers, Frank (Peggy) Varljen of Georgia and Louis (Pat) Varljen of North Carolina; and two sisters, Mary Heist and Viola Green.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Terry Varljen; his oldest brother, Leo Varljen; two sisters, Emma Michalski and Matilda Wolfe; and one grandson, Michael.
VARLJEN — Friends of John J. Varljen, who died Friday, May 24, 2019, will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler.
St. Paul’s Catholic Women and Christian Mothers will meet at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church to recite the rosary.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St., Butler.
Interment will be in Greenlawn Burial Estates, Mount Chestnut.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 320 Bilmar Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15205, or to St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, or to the Butler County Amateur Radio Association Inc.
For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.geibelfuneralhome.com.
